Balanced motor-wheel.



,L MESEGKE.'

BALANCED MOTOR WHEEL. APPLICATION mtu 1AN.24.-19\6.

Pandsept. 5,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. A

J. MESECKE.

BALANCED MOTOR WHEEL.

APPLscATmN mtu nu. 24. me.

Patented sept. 5,19%.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Specification of Letters Patent,

JOVHANNES MESEGKE, OF HAV'ELBERG, (ErIiJItLVIANY.v

BALANGED MOTOR-WHEEL.

i Patented sept. 5, i916.

Application filed January 24, 1916. Serial No. 73,973.

To all w/L'om it may conce/m bars 18, arranged in pairs, each disposed at *Be it known that I, JOHANNES Mnsnonn, opposite sides of the tractor wheel, and havsubject of the German Emperor,residing at lng their rearends bent inwardly, 1n oppo- Havelberg, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Balanced Motor-Wheels, of which the following is aspecifcation, reference beingy had therein to i Ithe accompanying drawing.

Theinvention relates to 'improvements in motorcycles, and has for itsvobgect to providen structure of a type which embodies the use of a single tractor wheel upon which is supported practically the entire weight of frame, and. the appurtenances Acarried there by, and in part, or wholly, the' weight of the the proper operation of the vehicle.

With this and other objects in view, the .invention resides in the certain construction to be hereinaftermore fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 2 is a top-vi'.TN

plan view of the same with the casing cover removed, Fig.'3 is avertical .transverse sec-` tion on the line 3 3 of'Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a 4vertical transverse section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a vertical ltransverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional detailof the handlebars and their supporting yoke, Fig. 7 is ,a side elevation of a modified form of the invention, and, Fig. 8 is a side elevation of 'a secondmodification of the same.

Referring t9v the drawing, in which 4similar characterslof reference designate correspending parts 'of the several views thereof, the numeral 10 represents a tractor wheel provided, preferably, 'with a pneumatic or cushion tire 11. and having Aits axle 12 supported in ,bearings 13, which are'slidably re `,tained in, guide yokes 14, which are formed with, o' secured to, forked members 15, forming 'a part of the main frame of the vehicle. The bearings 13 are resiliently held between balanced springs 16, each of the 'latter being disposed, one .below and one above the bearings 13, within the guide p horizontal bars 17, and corresponding upper f use of an angular connecting frame 2U, the

lower end portion 21, of which, being in clined upwardly and forwardly from its point of connection with the lower bars. An upwardly and rearwardly inclined brace member 22 connects the forward ends of the lower bars 17 with an intermediate portion of the upperjbars 18. The forked members 15 connect with the upper bars 18. at a point slightly in advance of the vertical transverse center of the tractor wheel 10, so that the guide yokes 14 are supported directly in line with the axis of the wheel, and curve forwardly and downwardly and4 connect with the lower bars 17.

The angular connecting` frame 20, from its point of connection with the ends of the upper bars 18, is bent rearwardly and upwardly as at 19, and connects to, and supports, a plate member 23, which, in turn, ex-

tends rearwardly, in a horizontal plane,

The plate member 23 is ilanged; asat 24,

to receive and retain an annual yoke 25,A

connecting sleeve 31, of a pair of handle bars 32, which project .in opposite directions, through the sletsmgeand rearward therefrom for any desired distance. The top face ofthe guide rod 2S is formed with a plurality ofalined recesses 33, adapted to beengaged by a palwl' 34, pivotally supported on the sleeve 30, in a manner to securethe handle bars in any desired adjusted position against ythe tension of either 'supported a guide sleeve 30, formed with a all li t

of the springs 29, which normally tend to retain the sleeve 3G at a point centrally of the guide rod or bar. Connected to the pawl lll., a flexible member or wire 35, which is threaded through one of the handle bars 32 and connecttal to the4 inner end of a finger grip or trigger.' 3G piroted inmiediately adjacent one olf the usual handgrips 37, of the handle bars.

The narrower portions of the main frame, to the rear of the tractor wheel 10, are connected, in spaced relation, by means of a sleeve 38, whit-h forms a bearing for the reception of a shaft or bolt element 39, which pivotally connects an auxiliary or trailer frame to the rear of the main frame. This auxiliary or trailer' frame is provided to lend stability to the motor cycle, and com prises opper and'lower horizontal bars 40 and il, each formed with forked members #t2 and 43, respectively, and a vertically disposed spacing bar 1l-l. The free ends of the bars 40 and di are formed with inset bearing lugs 45, which are adapted to be en'- gaged by the shaft 39, at the rear of the main frame. The upper forked member #l2 is inelined downwardly and connects with a bearing yoke lll carried by the horizontally disposed forked member 43. A trailer wheel il is positioned within 'the 'forked members and has its nale supported in slide bearings all, which are rarried in the oppositely disposed bearing yolies i6, and supported between halailced coiled springs 49 therein. A mnd-guard 5l). of usual construction, may be arranged to oreriia the upper periphery ol the trailer wheel, :is shown.

Supported on the horizontal member 40,

of the trailer frame. is a trackway 51, se.- eured in spared relation to the iormer by means of bolts, not shown, having spaemg sleeves 52 resting on a resilient element or ,pad 53, which arts to absorb any and all shoeks whirh would otherwise he transmitted to the traekway. This trackway ex tends the length of'the member 40, and curves upwardly from the forward end of the same.` and engage-sia guide channel 54, formed with the plate i. Suitable rollers 53 being prorided at the extremities of the traeh clennnts to admit of free movement of the latter within the guide channel. Supported upon the track elements 5l, is a plate i, carried on rollers 57, whirh are supported by angle members or brackets 5S, depending from the plate 5G, and which project below and engaffe slightly' under the lower fares ol' the trai-h elements. A seat Fill is adjustably supported on the plate 5b, and resiliently with respect thereto, as in the usual manner of known types of such reliirlc'si-als. Connecting the forward end of the plate 5G, with the connecting bar (il), at the forward end of the traclnvay, is a toggle (5l, which is pri'iferably provided with a coiled spring 62, to normally draw the plate, and the seat Carried thereby, to the limit of its forward movement.

Mounted within the V-shaped portion of the main frame, at the forward end thereof, is any desired form of power source, such as the internal combustion engine GB, as shown, the same being provided with a pulley 64, for the transmission ofpower therefrom, through the medium of a belt 65, to a pulley G6, carried by the tractor wheel 10. A fuel tank 67, preferably shaped to be fitted 'within the frame immediately abovethe engine, having a filling vent 68, in its forward inclined face, is provided 30 and suitably connected to the engine. Usual controlling means, not shown, are contemplated for the varying of the fuel supply to the engine for the regulation of the speed vf the latter.

In the operation ofthe motor cycle, the operator takes his place on the seat 59, and draws the same rearwardly, against the tension of the spring (32, to the limit of the open movement of the toggle 61, so that his weight is supported ilmnediately on the for ward part of the trailer frame to the rear` of the shaft 39, and which is, therefore, distributed. to a marked degree, onto the trailer wheel 47, and which admits of the engine starting light, or withonly the weight of the forward part of the cycle being supporteddirectly on the tractor wheel l0;

Iaving started the engine, with any increase in speed, the' rider: gradually slides 100 the seat forwardon the trackway 5l, for the purpose of adding his weight progressively, with such increase inspeed, to the main frame, and consequently to the tractor wheel, whereby to increase the traetivc power of the latter, and continues to do so, until the seat 59 oerlipies its normal posi` tion, at which point the entire weight of .the rider is borne. or nearly so. by the trau-- tor wheel, thus permitting the trailer wheel 47 to run practically free, and utilizingtbe full power of the engine directly on the single tractor wheel.

To enable the rider to maintain eouilibrium and balanre tothe motor cycle. when the trailer wheel is running free and his weight is impressed entirely on the single, tractor wheel, it is to be desired that the handle bars 32 be adjusted simultaneously with the forward and barkw-.n'd movement 120 of the seat` and during such movement of the seat, the operator artuates a linger grip or trigger :lli to release n pawl lll. from its engagement with one ol' the recesses 152i. of thc guide rod 2H. and forces the handle bars 125 32 lo a desired position. and. by releasing the trigger Sli. the pawl l-l engages with a corresponding recess to .sm-nre the handle barsin such adjusted position. rlo further aid 1n obtaining or maintaining the desired 1'30 balance, there isprovided, at opposite sides ofthe main frame,r suitable cot-rests 69,

which are, preferably, supported on the coiled springs 70, carried by the guidebolts 71, as shown.

A,mudguard 72 is provided tof surround the major portion vf the tractorV wheel 10,

and a brake shoe 73 is suitably positioned to the rez.: of th' .ractor wheel, and operated by means' of a foot-lever 74:` disposed to ither or both sides of the maii frame, immediately" adjacent the footrests y69, as

shown. j

' In Fig. 7 of the drawingk there is shown which is sup: irted the handle bars 78, which arenormally l2 ald at the forward end of the guide' rod by the action of a coiled spring 79,

and whichr are dapted tolse moved to any desired position on the. rod to aid the rider in obtaining a balanced position and eon trol of the motor cycle.- In this type of conf "struction, the seat 80, resiliently supported on the support-ing bar 81,of the mainframe, by means of ispring 82, is stationary with respect' to the main an 'l trailer frames, rand is located immediately to the rear of thever-V tical transverse center of the tractor wheel,` so that nearly the entire weight of thev j rider is impressed' upon the. tractor wheel,

thus allowing the trailer wheel 83 to run practically free. To ladmit of the turning of the forked member 75, and the tractor wheel controlled thereby, witliin the main frame, a fiexible shaft 84 is connected, at one end, to the shaft ofthe engine (i3, and has' its forward end supported in a bearing 85, carried by theforked member 75, and provided with a beveled gear 86 in mesh witha, beveled gear87, carried `by the tractor wheel. The remaining structure of this modification is identical with that of 4the preferred form of the invention, as hereinbefore described: 4 l

In Fig. 8, showing a second modified form of the inventioma seat 8S is ltixedly secured t0 a pivoted bar 89, one nd.of

which being pivoted to the main fratrie, as at 90, and the' other of its ends pi'votally connecting with a guide rod 91, which is slidably engaged in the upper bar 18, ofthe main lframe, and resiliently`movable with respect to the frame by reason of a coiled spring 92 boing interposed between the bar 18 and the bar 89. Intliis construction, the

-uppcr end of the forked member 7 5 is` provided with a tubular guide ineiiibcr 93, which slidably supports the handle bars 7S, and incloses a pair of oppositely disposed coiled springs 94, between which is engaged an abutment, not shown, formed Vwith the' sleeve 95, of the handle bars.` In this case,

springs 94 is to retain the handle bars een vtrally of -`the guide member, and to readily facilitate theadjustment of the handle bars. At, the lower end portion of the forward part of the main frame, there is novided a roller 9G, preferably, of hard rub er, or the like, which acts as safety device to ward off obstructions, or to prevent the rider from being thrown lin case' ofa loss ofbalaiiceto the mot-or cycle, and which is also adapted -for use as n.si1pport to maintain the cycle inl standing position, when the latter'is not 1n use. j.

ItI will be understood that various changes in design or detail of construction may be resorted to witholi departing from the spirit and scope of t e invention.`

Having thus fully described the iiivention', what is claimed is asin the first instance, the actionof the" Bti SliA

1.. In a motor cycle, a single tractor wheel,

a inain fr'aine, a. power plant carried on said niain frame, an adjustable steering nieai'is, A vmean.'Y for retaining said-steering means ink any of its adjusted positions, and means for' adjusting the weight of the operator on the main frame, whereby to balance the latter on the tractor wheel and to maintain equilibrium thereto. f

, Qui-In a motor cycle, a single tractor wheel, a main frame, a power plant carried on'said main frame, an adjustable steering nieans,

lnieans for retaining said steering means in any of its adjusted positions,"nieans for adjusting the weight of the operator on the maiji frame, whereby to balance the latter ISG on' the tractor wheel and to-maintain eqnililr ri uni thereto, and a stabilizing device,

3. In a motor cycle, a single tractor wheel, a main frameresiliently supported ongsaid tractor wheel, a power plant carried on said main frame, an adjustable steering means, means for retaining said steering means in any of its adjusted positions, means for adjusting the weight of the oper-1to1' on the main frame, whereby to balance the latter on the tractorwheel and to `maintain equilibriuin thereto, and a stabilizii'ig` device.

4. In a n'iotor cycle, a single tra ct ir wheel, a main frame i'cSil-iently supported on said tractor wheel, a priver laut carried on said main f nine, ailgovstablc steering iiicans, means4 for retaining said steering means in any ofv its adjusted. positions, a

` .seat on the main frame, and a stabilizing/13a tractor wheel, a power plant carried cn said -inaiii frame, anadjiistablc steering means, means 'for retaining said steering means in any of its adjusted positions, a seat movable* 'ist on the inai'ii frame, and a stabilizing device. y

(i. ln a motor cycle, a single tractor wheel,

y a main traine resiliently supported on said 18o any of its adjusted positions, a seat movable longitudinally of said main frame, means normally retaining said seat forwardly of the frame, and a t1':\ile1'-i'1'a1iie disposed rearwardly of Suid main frame.

In testimony whereof I aflix inv signature in the presence of two witnesses JOHANNES MESECKE Witnesses:

Ronmo (I. Boo'rir, SAMUEL R. KYLE. 

